GREY CARDS....

..MD..

..MD..

Helen Shapiro
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MonkeyDave
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Yes
OK who does and who does'nt

if you do please say why..

and if you dont again please say why...

this will help all newbies into knowing why people do and dont use these..


personally i do i use a expodisc..

i find it saves alot of time later in ps...



md:thumbs:


lets all help each and other:clap:
 
I don't because ive never heard of one before (i live in a world of my own :lol:)

Until MD told me about it, thanks again mate :thumbs:
 
macky799 said:
I don't because ive never heard of one before (i live in a world of my own :lol:)

Until MD told me about it, thanks again mate :thumbs:
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:lol::lol::lol:

Perhaps now you know what it is, you can answer as to why you will/won't use one then

:shrug:

I like the Expo, but often just set the WB to such as flash and then batch process them later. Depends how rushed I am at the time of the shoot

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
:lol::lol::lol:

Perhaps now you know what it is, you can answer as to why you will/won't use one then

:shrug:

I like the Expo, but often just set the WB to such as flash and then batch process them later. Depends how rushed I am at the time of the shoot

DD
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I will be trying one to see if it helps my photography and makes it easier to get the correct exposure :thumbs:
 
Im going to order one today I think, been meaning to for a while now but as I just got payed ystday I can afford the expodisc. I want to feel I'v captured the exact colours I see when shooting landscapes, and I know it can be done in PP, but then its not as precise surely:shrug:
 
For metering or for white balance? I quite often use one (well, a white piece of paper anyway) for white balance but never for exposure.
 
grey card if i'm shooting alot of pics at a perticular location (indoors)
 
I have never bothered, and don't think I ever will - can't say I have ever had any white balance issues, shoot in auto and check it later 99% of the time the camera gets it spot on, in my experience anyway.
 
I keep a lastolite expobalance in my bag, folds up nice and small so doesn't take up much room. I don't use it all the time but find it handy sometimes.

I used it once to get an accurate WB preset saved in my camera for my home studio. Once, fairly recently, I shot a whole interior set of a property and forgot to change the WB from my studio preset. :bonk: I didn't have time to reshoot them all so all I did to put it right was go round and snap the expobalance in each room. When I got home, all I had to do was correct the expobalance shots in LR then synchronise them with the relevant room shots... five minute job and they were all spot on :thumbs:.
 
I think it is prime time that I get one ... any recommendations for a good one?

Why would I need the multi-shaded one that Lastolite offers?
 
Very rarely had recourse to use a grey card. So I havnt bought one. However I have noted
that the inside of my camera bag is near as damit 50% grey and have used that in the past to create reference point when shooting indoors.
 
I always thought the camera was right 99% of the time as some commentators above say - only after getting the Expo did I realise the camera was about 90-95% right, and that extra 5-10% can seem like a huge difference sometimes

Where setting it properly really benefits though is for those without properly calibrated monitors as you can go straight to print with confidence (unless of course your printer's off too!)

DD
 
Would a grey card be handy for metering when using a film camera (ie no lcd to cheat with)? My bronica has a metered prism which is centreweighted and the first roll I've put through it was pretty much all over exposed. A lack of knowledge and experience on my part but will one of these help?
 
Thing is though...

Why are all grey cards set at 18% grey (which apparently is halfway between black and white...could have sworn that would be 50% but hey) ...

..but then apparently our light meters are set to 12% grey, so all grey cards mean your measure is still out by half a stop in normal daylight.

interesting pdf.... ANSI standards ...light meters. (nikon standerds..etc)

:shrug: I dunno either... and I've been reading for hours.. :thinking:
 
DD,

Is that the Expodisc you were refering to? If so, do you need one for each different lens size thread? Or, would one large one suffice for smaller diameter lenses too?

Also, can you briefly tell how do these work exactly :thinking:.


Thanks.
 
oldgit said:
Very rarely had recourse to use a grey card. So I havnt bought one. However I have noted
that the inside of my camera bag is near as damit 50% grey and have used that in the past to create reference point when shooting indoors.
Click to expand...

think you'll find were talking 18% grey butthe inside of some camera bags are roughly that intentionaly so that in an emergency you can use that instead never tried a expodisc are they any good
 
Wail said:
DD,

Is that the Expodisc you were refering to? If so, do you need one for each different lens size thread? Or, would one large one suffice for smaller diameter lenses too?

Also, can you briefly tell how do these work exactly :thinking:.


Thanks.
Click to expand...



Yep - I mean the Expo

Buy one for the biggest lens you have, you can hold it over smaller lenses

Basically, and for Nikon users, you press 'Preset' in the WB menu (on mine that's just a button), it flashes for 10 seconds and during that time you point your camera at the light source (with the Expo over the lens of course) and fire off a shot on any auto setting - the usual message is 'Good' meaning the Custom WB is now set - easy peasey

I understand it's more fiddly with Canon's as you need to go through a few sub-menus, but it's still done in a matter of seconds and you don't need to do it again until your light source changes

:thumbs:

DD
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
yeah I agree, probably should use one more often, I tend to rely on the auto WB mostly, only really in buildings It can need adjusting, even then the auto get it right 99% of the time ... I use the grey internals of my Lower Pro bag in those circumstances, as its designed to double as a grey card
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sorry fb didnt see your post:bang::bang:
 
DD,

Thank you for the guidelines. It sure sounds easy, and may well be worth getting one. In particular for weird light situations, whcih sees me struggling to get the balance right out of the camera.

Next batch of questions, if I may ...

What made you go with an Expodisc rather than a Grey Card, and how much better do you think an Expodisc is?
 
Wail said:
DD,

Thank you for the guidelines. It sure sounds easy, and may well be worth getting one. In particular for weird light situations, whcih sees me struggling to get the balance right out of the camera.

Next batch of questions, if I may ...

What made you go with an Expodisc rather than a Grey Card, and how much better do you think an Expodisc is?
Click to expand...


A grey card has to be put into a reference shot and are usually around A4 size (though they do fold up too usually), which mean it's a bit more faffing about than pressing a button and pointing the camera to the light source

The Expo is light, smaller and virtually indestructible - also it's the ease of use that makes it better for me

When you've used one and get home you know the WB is already ok - rather than having to open all your shots to synchronise to your reference shot

That's it really

DD
 
I got a grey card with a magazine a few months ago


I have used it in the past in the first image of a batch to aid colour correction, but it's not a regular item of kit.
 
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